Jen Ross is Rugby Canada Female Coach of the Year

Abbotsford's Jen Ross was recognized as the 2012 Canadian Female Coach of the Year this past weekend at the inaugural Rugby Canada Awards Dinner.

A former national team player, Ross has volunteered hundreds of hours to help develop girls rugby in British Columbia and specifically, in the Fraser Valley. Several of her players have gone on to play for BC’s provincial programs, including those recently shortlisted on the Rugby Canada U20 roster announcement ahead of the junior women’s Nation’s Cup this summer.

At the club level, Ross has been instrumental in running Abbotsford’s U18 women’s program. Abby won the 2011 provincial club title and successfully defended their championship this past Fall against Bayside.

At the representative rugby level, Ross helped field two teams in both the BC Summer Games and U18 Provincial Regional Championships in 2012. Under Ross’s guidance, both Fraser Valley women’s seven-a-side teams qualified for the BC Summer Games final and finished with the silver and gold medals.

Ross was equally as successful with her 15-a-side program as her U18 women repeated as B2Gold Provincial Regional Championship winners in July. During the high school season Ross coaches at Robert Bateman, a highly successful rugby school in the Fraser Valley.

Outside of her coaching duties, Ross is a valuable volunteer in the BC Rugby community. This past January she served as Fraser Valley’s senior women’s team manager in the Ruth Hellerud-Brown Cup. Fraser Valley, featuring several of Ross’s former players, went on to win the 2013 provincial title.

Rugby Canada Award Winners:Canadian Shield Player of the Year - Hubert BuydensSevens Players of the Year - Jen Kish, John MoonlightXVs Players of the Year - Maria Samson, Tyler ArdronYoung Players of the Year - Bianca Farella, Lucas Hammond Coaches of the Year - Jen Ross, Chris SilverthornMatch Official - Andrew McMasterVolunteer of the Year - Dean Kittleson